German Christmas Traditions

Christmas Traditions in Austria, Germany, Switzerland Although we often take today’s Christmas celebration customs for granted, most of the so-called “traditional” Christmas practices only date back to the 19th century. Many of these customs originated in Germany and...

German Language 2

The Umlaut and the ß – German Idiomatic Expressions The German Umlaut (“diaeresis” in English) The two dots sometimes placed over the German vowels a, o, and u are known as an Umlaut. The umlauted vowels ä, ö and ü (and their capitalized equivalents...

Kitzbühel, Austria

One of Austria’s Top Winter and Summer Resorts Austria for Tourists > City Guides: Austria > Kitzbühel Kitzbühel, “Kitzbichi” in the local dialect, is a small Austrian town in the Kitzbühel Alps that is much more famous than its size would...

Driving in Germany: Green Zones

No Sticker, No Entry! A 2006 anti-air-pollution law began a process that now requires drivers in Germany to have a special environmental sticker or badge (UK; Umweltplakette in German) on their car in order to enter the “green zone” of most German cities....

Driving in Germany: Rental Car Tips

Driving Tips for Germany: Auto Rental or Leasing Renting and Driving a Car in Europe In order to rent or lease a car in Europe, non-Europeans need a valid driver’s license from their home state or province. Although the legal driving age is 18, drivers usually...